Footwear with elastic, flexible, and aerated soles embodying rubber sponge



Oct. 31, 1933. E. MEuccl 1,932,557

FOOTWEAR WITH ELASTIC, FLEXIBLEf AND AERATED SOLES EMBODYING RUBBER SPONGE Filed Jun 6, 1931 2 sheets-sheet 1 Enrmo Meucci NvEN-ron; KWWL ab Attorney.

Oct. 31, 1933. A E. MEUccl 1,932,557

FOOTWEAR WITH ELASTIC, FLEXIBLE, AND AERATED SOLES EMBODYING RUBBER SPONGE Filed June 6, 1931 2 Sheets-SheetI 2 Enr ILO MEV C'C" im/ENTOR;

"eq/s Attarney sole proper,

Patented Oct. 31, 1.933

UNITED STATES 1,932,557 FOOTWEAR WITH ELASTIC, FLEXIBLE,

AND AERATED BER SPONGE SOLES EMBODYING RUB- Enrico Meucci, Florence, Italy Application June 6, 1931, Serial No. 542,551,

and in Italy September 19, 1930 l 3 Claims.

The invention relates to a new system of footwear, characterized by the fact of its being elastic and aerated, thesetwo qualities being ensured through the use of rubber sponge or of any other suitable material or sponge, such material being utilized both for the attainment of elasticity, that is, resiliency of the sole, or rather of a soft support for the foot, and also--if desiredof aeration.

Essentially, the invention consists in.prear.

ranging in combination with the sole of the footwear, i. e. inside the sole or on the top of it, a layer of very soft material, such, for instance, as rubber sponge, which imparts the quality of elasticity. At the same time, the special characteristic feature of the rubber sponge or other similar material or sponge- Which is that of being formed of a series of deep hollows or cavities, upheld by smalllwalls of rubber or the likeallows of obtaining, if so desired, the aeration within the within the heel and inside the shoes themselves, said cavities being combined with a series of passages, vertical orices or small horizontal channels connected with the interior -of the boot or shoe, the sole, the heel and the lling or elastic support of the latter and with the outside. y

The cavities of the elastic fillingmade of rubber sponge or the likelaid or arranged within empty spaceslbeds or seats formed in the soleare as close together as possible for the purpose of constituting an air passage, orices being furthermore provided to correspond with said filling both in the interior of the footwear and at the bottom thereofcorresponding to the tread and the heeland peripherally as regards the sole.

The invention will be more precisely understood on reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein are shown a few examples of its application, all relating to the case of a sole having been rendered elastic with rubber sponge or the like, and aerated, i. e. a sole in communication with the atmosphere.

In these drawings- Fig. 1 shows the vertical section of a sole with a heel provided with aerated elastic means, as a rst type;

Fig. 2 shows in a vperspective view the plan of the shoe with apart of the upper covering raised, of the same type;

Fig. 3 is a cross section of a shoe according to the case illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 shows, separately, the plan of the elastic part of the above-indicated type;

Fig. 5 shows the vertical section of the sole of a shoe according to a second type;

Fig. 6 shows said sole perspectively covering partly raised;v

Fig. 7 is a cross section of the shoe according to the case referred to in Fig. 5 and Fig. 8 is a plan view of the sole according to Fig. 6.

In correspondence with the rst example delineated in Figs. 1-4 incluslvely, the sole proper a is formed with a bordering all round,.as will be more clearly seen in Fig. 3. Within the space produced by this bordering or rim a slab b of elastic material such as rubber sponge or the like is laid, crossing channels c, may be previously traced. This slab of rubber b may possibly not adhere quite perfectly to the border' ing of the sole a and prove slightly narrowerso as to leave a small empty space or channel d all around.

The border of ly with orifices e throughout which register with the empty space d all around said border. In this empty space terminate the channels c of the elastic material, whenever such are formed on the latter; in any case it is here that terminate the openings of the cavities of which the rubber sponge is composed.

On the top of this sole as described there will be laid a covering or small under-foot sole f of any soft material such as kid, linen or the likeinstead of one of the usual inner soles of leatherespecially if of dry leather- Which latter material is too stiff. This inner sole is also perforated, and through such perforations 'the air may freelyy circulate inside the sole through the channels c and outside through the orifices e. Said small sole is sewnl to the shoe upper. Perfect aeration within the boot or shoe and elasticity are thus ensured.

The case according to Figs. 5 to 8 inclusively, differs only in that the channels inside the elastic massrubber spongeare in a vertical direction instead of horizontal. In fact, as appears especially from Fig. '7, the channels cl are vertical there, that is, they pass through the rubber sponge from one side to the other. Thus, the air will always n a way of penetrating into the cavities, there being several channels c1, so that no zone of the mass. of rubber sponge even ifl separated by walls of rubber constituting a solution of continuity ofv each zone, will ble left with a mass. of stagnant air. Even should. some zone or other remain isolated, no specific damage to the system would ensue.4

with the the sole a is provided lateral- 'Ihe concept already set forth, which is that of providing or pre-arranging within the footwear that which constitutes the essentialI characteristic ofthe invention, to wit, ,the layer of elastic material for the providing of a soft and springy support for the foot (which layer is essentially indicated as being formed of rubber sponge or the like) may be carried out in various Ways.

In order to put to application the invention it is in fact suicient, that is, necessary, to furnish the sole of the boot or shoe with a lateral border or rim so that the slab of soft, elastic material consisting of rubber sponge may be laid in the space or bed created by said bordermg.

In the examples already described thisv fact has been generically stated, two examples having been indicated as to the mode of forming this empty space.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is: v

1. An article of footwear comprising an outer sole having a Wall containing perforations communicating with the atmosphere and a pocket at the' upper face ,of the sole, a body of sponge rubber in said pocket and having a plurality of cavities for the passage of air therethrough, and

an inner sole covering said sponge rubber and having perforations, whereby air may circulate between the exterior and interior of said article of footwear.

2. An article of foot wear comprising an outer sole having an oriced upturned marginal wall, a body of sponge rubber on the upper face of said sole within the connes of said marginal wall, said sponge rubber having channels communicating with the orifices in the marginal wall, and an inner sole covering said sponge rubber and engaging the upper edge of the marginal wall, said inner sole having perforations therethrough, whereby air may circulate between the exterior and interior of said article of footwear.

3. An article of footwear comprising an outer sole having an oriced upturned marginal wall whereby a pocket is formed at the upper face of said sole, a body of sponge rubber in said pocket with the edge of the body spaced from the inner face of the upturned marginal wall, said sponge rubber having channels communicating with the orifices in the marginal wall, and an inner sole covering said sponge rubber and engaging the upper edge of the marginal wall, said inner sole having perforations therethrough, whereby air may circulate between the exterior and interior of said article of footwear.

ENRICO MEUCCI. 

